Lane Goodwin Laid To Rest

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CALHOUN, KY (KTVI) - The story of a young Cardinals fan fighting cancer has touched the lives of hundreds of thousands. Last week, 13 year-old Lane Goodwin lost his battle, and was laid to rest near his home in Kentucky on Monday afternoon.

It was an emotional day at Calhoun Baptist Church, just south of Evansville, Indiana, where Lane’s funeral was held. Hundreds filled the pews to support Lane’s family, even wearing red, in honor of Lane and his love of the Cardinals.

His great-aunt, Claudia Wayne, says, “He watched them all the time, he loved the Cardinals. He loved them.”

Lane’s upbeat attitude, despite fighting a deadly form of cancer, made hundreds of thousands of people love him. Supporters began connecting with his family on social media, and within the past few weeks, prayers and well wishes for Lane went viral.

Robin Phelps, a close family friend of the Goodwins, says, “[Lane’s mother] texted and said the prayers are working; he’s just sat up and said ‘I love you, mom.’ So she feels like they helped give her this last month, and give him the strength he had.”

Some members of “Team Lane” drove four hours from St. Louis to pay their respects. Shawn Kohrs, who hopes to champion Lane’s cause in the Cardinals’ home city, explains, “Our hearts said we needed to be here.”

Andrew Brooks explains why he, too, made the trip from St. Louis: “It really hit home to know that family is the one thing you have, and hers is being ripped out from underneath her. So I think that’s what inspired all of it.”

The scope of Lane’s impact wasn’t lost on the 13 year-old during his final days. Wayne says, “He would smile when he was able to, and it thrilled him to death, it really did.”

The virality of the “Thumbs Up for Lane” movement inspired Lane and his family to pay it forward. His family recently established a foundation in his name that will raise money for cancer research.

Phelps says, “He believed that if God couldn’t cure him, then he could be the one who could portray the message that a cure needs to be found, and that other children could be cured.”

As Lane’s family continues to mourn, Wayne says the love from supporters won’t be forgotten: “It’s just so touching, and it helps to get through something like this because Lane was so young.”

Because hundreds of thousands of people came to know Lane through social media, his family streamed the funeral live, so anyone, no matter where they are, could pay their final respects.